Curiosity Killed the Cat
by Guchi-kouhai
Summary: After Dumbledore had died, the trio has to find out what they are going to do and how. When something unexpected happened, they must find a way to fix it, in the process they grow closer, revealing secrets and finding out what they are capable of.
1. Prologue: Aftermath

**A/N:** Written as a response to a Challenge from TGP. This is my first challenge and first fanfic, so if I mess something up, please tell me. Once I've met a condition for the challenge, I'll post it in an A/N at the end of the chapter.

**Warnings:** Yaoi/Slash, Angst, DARK themes, mature content. This is for the entire fic, in case you care.

**Disclaimer:** Belongs to J. K. Rowling…sigh at lest she shares.

**Curiosity Killed the Cat**

**Prologue: Aftermath**

It's been two weeks since the end of the term of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, and things are happening. Minerva McGonagall is now Headmistress with an unknown residing as Deputy Headmistress or Headmaster. Hogwarts will open at the beginning of September, whether or not the Ministry approves of it, or, at least, that's what McGonagall says.

Hermione, now an adult in the wizarding world, has moved into number twelve Grimmauld Place. Convincing her parents of this took some time; they wanted her to stay until she was of age in the Muggle world. You see they still not ready to give there only daughter to a world they could never fully understand. Finally, after Hermione told them some of the things she had already done and that she would be with some of the best Aurors in the business, they agreed, on one condition; that they would receive a letter from her once a month until "that evil man is gone". At this Hermione sighed, but knew she was getting off lightly. And at this her mind turned to Ron, but we'll get to that in a bit.

Ron was also staying at number twelve, as was Ginny, Molly and Arthur. Though Mrs. Weasley knew Ron was of age, but that did not mean she had to let go of him. Ron was happy that Hermione had convinced her parents to let her stay at number twelve and many times he and she could be found in one of their rooms (door open as was the rule), heads together whispering about something. Ginny could usually be found in the next room, one of the twin's Extendable Ears trailing from under the door to her ear.

Lupin and Tonks are happy together, well at least that's what people are assuming, they don't see much of either nowadays. Tonks is at work at the Ministry as are most of the other Aurors. Lupin is out trying to find out about Fenrir Greyback, and what will happen to Bill. He is also trying to find out about how many werewolves have joined Voldemort.

Hermione has it in her mind that she might be able to find some good spells to help her and the boys when the go off to find Voldemort. Ron is poking around trying to find out how much the order knows and if they knew where he is. He is also trying to find out where they can go first.

Harry is waiting at number four Privet Drive. He waits for every letter from Hermione telling him about what she had found out and what she and Ron have decided. He waits for every letter from Ron telling him about what he had found out and his ideas about where to start. He waits for every issue of the Daily Prophet, counting every death he has caused by not defeating Voldemort the first time, or the second, or third etc. He waits for the Weasley wedding, and hopes that nothing will go wrong during it. And right now he is waiting for Hedwig to come back from a hunt so that she can send another letter to Hermione.

Herm,

What are we going to do come the start of next term at Hogwarts? I just read in the Prophet that it's opening. We will all be able to Apparate by that time. Maybe we should go to the Hogwarts Express and Apparate once we are on the train? I'm not sure. Tell me what you think.

Bye,

Harry

And last, but the hardest of all, Harry is waiting for July 31st, his seventeenth birthday. He made a promise to Dumbledore and he means to keep it. But the minute he turns 17, he will be gone. Gone from the disapproving glares and shifty glances he had been getting since he came back from his first year at Hogwarts. Gone from the verbal and sometimes physical abuse he had had as long as he can remember. Gone from his only blood family. Gone, forever.

**A/N:** Hum, I like the way I wrote this. It kind of ends abruptly, but I like that. This is the first and only time in this fic that something will be written in present tense. I hope you liked this and please comment if you want to say something.


	2. Of Findings and Punishments

**Chapter One**

**A Finding and a Punishment **

Hermione Granger, 17, was leafing though books as she always did before buying a new one when the book caught her eye. She was in the Defense Against the Dark Arts section of Flourish and Blotts looking for books that would help them in the upcoming battle. It was shoved between to books, higher than the rest by half and inch, and sticking out from the smooth edges of the rest of the books on the shelf. As she looked at it further, she realized it looked as if it had been stuffed into the shelf hurriedly. She walked up close to it, tilting her head she read the title; _Forgotten and Unused Hexes, Jinxes and Spells_. Pulling the book out, Hermione thought the book had seen better days. It was about the same size as her books for school but vaguely reminded her of the Advanced Potions textbook that had brought so much trouble for them last year, old and worn like that had been. Its cover was warn and the corners were bent and showing the tan color of cardboard under the soft green of a cover illustration long gone. She flipped to the back of the book, looking for a glossary of the spells inside. After finding it she quickly scanned through them and grinned. Snapping the book shut, she nodded. Out of the 35 spells in the book she had only heard of nine and only knew how to work eight. "This is perfect, just what we need. I'll look through it and decide which one we can use and read up on them. That way when Harry leaves the Dursley's we'll already have begun." She smiled and turned back toward the other books she had been looking at before this book had found her.

That is what Hermione had always thought. You don't find books, they find you. But of course, Hermione reasoned to herself, any avid reader would think that. She looked around at the books, before realizing that she might not have enough for the—Hermione looked down, counting the books for the first time—four books for them, and the three pleasure books for herself. 'Well I can always get one of these later.' She thought warily to herself as she walked up to the counter. She opened _Forgotten and Unused Hexes_ and looked at the list of spells. '_Genus Mutatus_…Hum, I wonder what that does.' Hermione, who knew that most of the spells used in the wizarding world were derived for Latin, had started studying Latin in her free time and thought she could guess at the meaning of the words. 'Genus…er…I thinks that's the same one I learned about in Primary school, the way to categorize organisms. I wonder if that has anything to do with it?' She asked herself. Now she couldn't wait to get to Number Twelve, not only did she not know a fourth of what was in that book, she had a sneaking suspicion that this book was going to help them.

Crimson eyes looked disapprovingly from the shadows at the shuddering mass of flesh on the floor. His posture, body tense yet leaned back against the wall with his arms crossed over his chest, showed both apprehension and boredom. His gaze of blood flicked over the things in the room, pausing at each for only a second. He only needed a second for a lifetime of memories to flash through his mind. Wormtail was busy cowering and that would keep him occupied for a bit. The unsettling gaze settled on a small book, with a dark stain on the cover, spreading from a hole in the center. The man's temper simmered. That infuriating boy had destroyed two of his precious precautions against mortal death. Shaking his head the man smiled a smile that didn't reach his eyes. He still had ways of avoiding death, and one day he would kill that meddlesome boy. 'Soon,' the man thought. 'Very soon.' Returning his gaze to the groveling servant on the ground, he waited for a moment before signaling the rat-like man could speak.

"M-master. I-I have information. G-good information, g-gr-great information. It will help you kill H-him sir, soon he will be out of your hair-er, out of your way Master. Soon! You see while I was in London-"

Voldemort leaned forward slightly and the man stopped speaking, knowing the movement and actions of his master quite well. The Dark Lord turned his chilling red eyes upon Wormtail. "Are you going to get to the point or are you going to continue to stutter all night?" He asked the man in a bored tone.

"Y-yes sir-Oh! I mean n-no sir. Harry-"

"Don't speak that name in my presence!" Voldemort shouted, after waiting for a few seconds and hearing nothing come from his servant he sighed. "Well?"

The man winced and took a deep breath. "Well it seems as though the mission was successful. Dumbledore is dead; Severus killed him, not Malfoy. It also seems as though the boy refuses to return to Hogwarts and finish his schooling there. It will be much easier to get to him, now that he refuses the help of his teachers." Wormtail nodded and closed his mouth, done with his report.

Voldemort continued to stare at the man. "Is that all! That is all you have to tell me after being in London for two _weeks_! None of that was news! Of _course_ Snape killed Dumbledore! Do you really thing that I would trust a 17 year old _boy_, to kill that old man? You are an incompetent git!" Voldemort uncrossed his arms, and pointed his wand at the man shaking on the ground.

"B-but m-master!"

"Silence!" The Dark Lord's blood red eyes flashed and is nostrils flared. A pale, long fingered hand showed from under Voldemort's cloak as he pointed the wand at Wormtail. "_Genus Matatus_!" A bright yellow light flared and illuminated to room.

When the room returned back to normal, the huddling form in the center of the room seemed not to have changed. It raised its head up and Voldemort smiled, seeing that the spell had worked. It was an old spell, and one he had not used before, but apparently it worked, though he really had no idea why one would want to have such a spell.

"M-master?" The form said in a higher pitched voice then that it had been speaking in. The body was still round, its hair still thinning and a sandy brown, but the chest had grown as had the hips area. It looked down at itself and then back up at the man who had done this.

Wormtail was looking up at the Dark Lord through the eyes of a female.

**A/N:** snorts I like this. Hum…well half one condition had been met, but I'll tell you what it was when I finish it. Tell me what you think!

_Conditions Met:_  
5. Voldemort must appear at some point.


End file.
